To Browse and Read.

I love books and reading! So does R but he reads at a rate that means many books are needed ( he read 75 last year ). Well, go to the Library. NO it just doesn't suit our needs. Certainly for study or rarer reference we may visit ( if we don't find it on the Internet ) but not to take books out . The restraints of having to have books back by a certain date, the mileage to the city plus parking and book fees all detract.

Over the years we have devised our own system that suits.

* We buy books as gifts and receive them that way too.

*We exchange books with a select group of friends ( those who look after and return them )( that also makes good talking points when we have read the same books).

*We go to book sales sometimes and lately we visit the second hand bookshop in Tauranga.( see bookmark photo )."Relaxed atmosphere to browse or read." it says - it certainly is. Warmly heated with old soft couches to sit if you wish makes it a friendly happy bookie place! It reminds me of the bookshop in the movie " You've Got Mail! " We both met there on Tuesday. R had done some messages for me while I went to the Optometrist. I came away relieved as have been having some annoying worrying trouble with my eyes lately, not the vision, but physical discomfort ( on waking ) and a spontaneous bleed just below my bottom eyelid that made me look like I had been in a fight ( it took 3 weeks to reabsorb ). So I was glad to be told no eye health problems and my vision little changed so no new expensive lenses needed.( still need to find the cause though )I'm not going blind - well not just yet anyway!

We each came away with 3 books. 6 cost what 2 new books would have cost.( later we can sell them back if we wish ) We take our own bag and so are doing 2 environmentally good practices.

Bookshop new or second hand are wonderful places. Tempting places. Places that mostly delight with the odd disappointment.

**Do tell me of any wonderful reads you have had lately.**

Rain and Sun.

Beaches don't feature here too often, but I have walked on 2 different ones in the last 5 days.
Starting on Easter Saturday - that was a scorching hot day and people were swimming in the surf at the Mt beach. We walked for a short while but it was very hot. We had just spent about $80 and an hour an a half at the Rotary Annual second hand book sale...... held in an empty coolstore and has books ,CDs, records etc as far as the eye can see.We didn't get there too early as we wanted the crowds to have dispersed which they had, so we browsed in amongst sensible numbers. I got 8 paper backs, 8 Patchwork and Quilting old mags and booklets and 3 CDs. DH got 10 books and 1 CD. The P & Q mags and books will have a couple of pages copied then be returned to a sales table; only 1 CD will get a second playing, BUT the books are good so far. I enjoyed the first one I have read in the last few days, "Hanna's Daughters, " by Marianne Fredriksson.

(The Mt. beach photo has the bright umbrellas ).

I have been keeping a tally of the number of strawberries I have picked off my plants ; 197 from 6 plants and still going strong - certainly worth growing and covering!

Our younger son is home on holiday from London - we haven't seen him for just over 2 years. He has lived and worked in UK for over 7 years. This weekend we are doing a family get together over in Hamilton; with elder son & partner, brother and sister in law.

Yesterday we 3 travelled up the Coromandel to Hahei to see a property that was for sale - that eliminated that one - too far ; very winding roads - not where I would want to live.( We also looked at some others locally at the long weekend ) The weather was not kind, shower clouds kept darkening the sky but we took a short walk on the beach which was deserted except for some fishermen catching Kahawai and a few others strolling too.One photo shows son in front and DH catching up, another shows the amazing old pohutukawa trees - this one clinging horizontally in the cliff face. The roots making patterns as they are exposed by the elements.